


It's Too Cold For Popsicles

by AppalachianApologies



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Concussions, Fainting, Fluff, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Spencer's Not Having a Good Time, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, basically just lots of comfort, but that's okay because morgan is there to make it better :D, this is a christmas present!!!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:28:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,588
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28318998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AppalachianApologies/pseuds/AppalachianApologies
Summary: Montana has brought nothing but bad luck. And the worst part is? It's Christmas.
Relationships: Derek Morgan/Spencer Reid
Comments: 14
Kudos: 172





	It's Too Cold For Popsicles

**Author's Note:**

  * For [BrightTerror](https://archiveofourown.org/users/BrightTerror/gifts).



> Hello all you lovely people!! If you celebrate it, I hope you're having a wonderful Christmas Day!! :D
> 
> This is a surprise story written for one of my greatest friends, [BrightTerror,](https://archiveofourown.org/users/BrightTerror/pseuds/BrightTerror) who is amazing and awesome and just all around an incredible person!! I met her this year, and honestly idk how I would've made it through 2020 without her. 
> 
> Please please please go check out her work- it's freaking awesome!!
> 
> Enjoy! :D

Most cases that end badly start out great. They start out with easy facts and the chance of still saving victims.

However, this case started out badly, had a bad middle, and ended badly as well. A general ‘shit show’ across all angles.

Also, Spencer was cold.

It didn’t have much to do with the case, but it did add to the general feeling of: Nothing Is Going Well. It’s as if all of the bad luck from everyone on the team all piled up at once. And all of the bad luck of the local PD, and the entire town, for that matter.

Spencer’s not having a good day.

It started with Spencer burning his tongue on his coffee, Morgan spilling his coffee, and knocking down Hotch’s in the process. And the case just went downhill from there. 

Garcia keeps disconnecting because they’re in the Middle of Nowhere, Montana (and yes, that is the mailing address), and Emily’s phone broke on the first day of the case. JJ and Rossi’s luck held out for almost the entire first day, until the hotel that the team was supposed to be staying at didn’t have the rooms they booked. This resulted in JJ sleeping on a couch, and Rossi next to a window that didn’t close.

The middle of the case was nothing but a pain in the ass. It was nearly impossible to find the connection between victims because they didn’t even know how many there were. A total of ten remains have been pulled from the lake, but with half of the water frozen over, it’s nearly impossible to do a sweep and check for any more bodies. 

It seems like every single officer they work with are rookies, and although they’re all nice, they’re not exactly helpful to the case. Spencer doesn’t even have time to think about the slight genius of dropping bodies down an ice fishing hole is.

Of course he has time now.

Spencer’s day has been terrible, even considering the rest of the case. And now that there’s a forearm holding him via the neck, it’s gotten much worse.

Morgan’s weekly lessons of self defense and hand-to-hand have been helpful, but not when there’s a man six and a half feet tall, covered in thick feathered jackets.

Spencer claws at his arms, but there’s literal inches of clothes between his nails and the unsub’s skin. He tries to headbut backwards, but he can’t reach any important or painful part of the unsub’s face. A kick or two is thrown out, but the unsub isn’t deterred at all.

Before he knows it, Spencer’s vision is blurring to gray, and then black.

*

Miraculously, something must’ve gone right in this case, because he’s woken to the sounds of his teammates. 

However that relief is short lived when Spencer realizes that his ragdoll body is currently being used as a human shield. That’s rather… unfortunate. 

Brain finally coming online, Spencer can hear Hotch’s clear and thought out words, “Hurting him is not the answer. Hurting a federal agent will not help you.”

“I don’t care!” A voice licks around Spencer’s ear, catching him off guard. “It’s already over! What’s one more?”

“If you hurt Doctor Reid, you will not spend a single day outside of prison, and I will personally ensure that you stay in solitary confinement,” Hotch seamlessly replies, as if he was expecting it. Due to the nature of the case, he probably was.

The words are a nice white lie, but their unsub doesn’t know any better. For a split second, Spencer can feel the man’s arms losen, even though it’s just a bit. It probably isn’t even noticeable to Hotch.

“I need this,” The unsub replies, “You don’t understand!”

“No,” Hotch shakes his head, “This isn’t the answer. What happened to your brother wasn’t your fault,”

Brother? It’s good that the team figured out something about this case at least.

“But this?” Hotch motions to Spencer, “And all of the other men? That was your fault,”

“No!”

“You can save someone now, okay? If you let go of Doctor Reid, you can be a hero. You can still save him.”

A second later, Spencer is released, and stumbles forward, catching the floor with his hands and knees. Rossi is there, bringing Spencer up by his elbows as the younger man grabs his forearms with cold fingers.

Hotch’s yell of “Dave!” comes at the same time as JJ’s, “Spence!”

And then suddenly Spencer’s back on the floor, body sprawled out like he doesn’t even have bones. There’s shouting around him, but Spencer’s 90% sure that it isn’t coming from himself. Maybe even 95%, he’s pretty confident-

“Spence? Hey, can you look at me?”

Attempting to blink the fuzziness away, Spencer finds his best friend’s eyes. “Jaje?”

“Yeah, that’s right,” She smiles.

Tiredly, Spencer brings his fingers up to his temple, which feels suspiciously like part of his head has literally been torn out. He never gets to his hairline, though.

“Hey, no no no,” JJ soothes, pulling his fingers away, “Don’t touch that.”

“‘Happened?”

After a glance at Hotch, she answers, “Toolbox to the forehead.”

Spencer winces. “I wanna leave ‘Ontnana.”

“Me too, me too,” JJ lightly laughs, before tapping his cheek, “Hey, Spence, you gotta stay awake for me, got it?”

“‘M awake,”

“Then why are your eyes closed?” JJ questions.

And- wow- that’s an excellent question. “Dunno.”

“Hey, Morgan?”

Spencer tries to turn his head to see Morgan, but is stopped when his vision suddenly blurs out. Nausea appears full force, and Spencer feels like his head is rolling off his shoulders.

“Kid, hey, stay awake. Open those eyes for me?”

“Don’ feel good,” Spencer murmurs, swallowing down the nausea.

With a sympathetic grimace, JJ soothes, “I know, I know. Do you think you can walk?”

Spencer knows that he should probably give an honest answer, but the idea of being carried out of a fisherman’s shack is mortifying. “Mmhm.”

“Okay, here, just lean on me and Morgan, ‘kay?”

Although he’s able to make it up to an almost standing position, it doesn’t last long. A second later Spencer’s doubled over, throwing up coffee and water.

“Shit,” Morgan mumbles from behind Spencer, before picking him up, legs over the older man’s arms. “You let me know if you’re gonna puke again, okay kid?”

“Mm,” Spencer confirms, not really understanding. He reaches up to touch his head again, and when he brings his fingers down, they’re covered in blood. “M’gan,” He begins, holding up his fingers, “‘S blood.”

Jogging a bit faster through the icy lake, Morgan confirms, “I know, kid. Don’t mess with it. You’re gonna be fine.”

If Spencer could, he would nod. “Bloo’ vessels.” Spencer closes his eyes as the world seems to spin around him. “S’ near the scal’. Vessels are.”

Swallowing, Morgan requests, “Don’t try to talk. Just hold on.”

Spencer gives an elongated sigh, letting the world wash over himself. “‘Love youuu,” He happily slurs. When he opens his eyes again, the landscape around him has been completely transformed. 

Now, instead of snow banks and shattered ice, Spencer sees blurry buildings and a cloudy sky. He doesn’t really remember where he is, but Spencer’s not very concerned about that fact.

Spencer closes his eyes again, just for a second.

“Welcome back, Pretty Boy.”

Opening his eyes right back up, Spencer looks up at Morgan, more confused than he previously remembers being. “Hi, M’gan.” Without thinking, Spencer reaches up with his hand to touch his head.

Almost instantly, Morgan brings his hand back down. “You don’t wanna touch that. You got four stitches.”

“Already?”

WIth a look, Morgan points out, “It’s been a day and a half.”

“Oh.” Spencer isn’t exactly sure how he should be reacting to that. “That’s interesting.”

“You’re also definitely concussed,”

With a light giggle, Spencer agrees, “Yeah.” Face falling, he then questions, “Are we still in Montana?”

“Yeah, why?”

Before Spencer can formulate a response, he starts crying. 

Concern immediately creasing over his eyes, Morgan stands up and asks, “Whoa, kid, you okay? Are you in pain?”

“We have terrible luck in Montana,” Spencer replies, bringing up his IV free hand to messily wipe his tears. “I jus’ wanna leave.”

Sitting back down, Morgan grabs Spencer’s wrist, rubbing his thumb over Spencer’s own. “I know, kid. Don’t worry, as soon as we get the all clear from the doctor’s, we’re gonna blow this popsicle stand.”

“It’s too cold for popsicles,” Spencer nearly sobs, looking up at Derek with red eyes.

Derek fondly shakes his head. “You’re  _ so  _ concussed. Get some sleep, Reid. I’ll be here when you wake up.”

“I don’t want a popsicle. ‘M too cold,” Spencer replies, eyes already slipping shut.

“I’ll get you some red Jell-O, how do you feel about that?”

Already half asleep, Spencer replies, “Please don’ eat it.”

“I won’t,” Derek replies, but Spencer’s already unconscious once again. 

With a light scoff, Derek brushes Spencer’s curls off his forehead, all while still keeping his other hand on Spencer’s.

From the door, Hotch leans against the wall with a coffee in one hand. “How’s he doing?”

Glancing up, Morgan replies, “Good. I’m sure he’ll be back to his usual self soon enough.”

Holding a phone in his other hand, Hotch points out, “It’s Christmas. You wanna call your family? I can keep an eye on Reid.”

“Nah, I’ll call them later,” Morgan replies, eyes back on Spencer. “I got all the family that I need right here.”

**Author's Note:**

> Merry Christmas, Ale, I hope you have a wonderful day!!!! <3
> 
> Come talk with me on [tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/appalachianapologies) (AppalachianApologies) if you'd like! I'm always so down to meet new people :D
> 
> I love you all very much, and I hope you all are doing okay. If you find yourself in a bad or scary situation, here are some hotlines (Please keep in mind that the written out numbers are US hotlines)
> 
> National Suicide Hotline: 1-800-273-8255  
> National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-4673  
> National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233
> 
> If you don't live in America and need someone to talk to, here's a list of [international hotlines.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_suicide_crisis_lines)  
> You are not alone, and I love you all <3


End file.
